


Cold

by Luzula



Series: Glaciation [3]
Category: due South
Genre: Apocalypse, M/M, ds_snippets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-08
Updated: 2010-02-08
Packaged: 2017-10-07 02:59:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luzula/pseuds/Luzula
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes it's hard to go on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold

**Author's Note:**

> The rating is low, but it's a pretty bleak story.

"A-D-A-N."

"No, that one is M," Fraser said patiently. "It has the extra leg."

"M. Oh, I know this one! It's my name."

"Very good! A-D-A-M makes Adam."

Fraser and six-year-old Adam were sitting by the window, taking advantage of the pale daylight. Ray, on the other hand, was as close to the stove as he could get. He was tired, and cold to the bone.

"Now, can you write it yourself?" Fraser said, giving the pen to Adam.

What was the point of teaching him to read and write? They were going to die anyway. Maybe not right now, but it got colder year by year, and they hadn't gotten any game for a week. And they never talked about it, either. Oh, they talked endlessly about the details of survival--the hunting, the scavenging for canned goods in the city, how to improve the insulation...but not this.

That night, in the privacy of their small room, Ray finally said it. "What's the point?"

"Of what?" Fraser asked quietly.

Ray shrugged. "Teaching him to read. Everything."

For a moment Fraser looked almost angry, and Ray felt the answering spark in himself. He'd wanted to see that pretense splinter and fall apart, and now he'd get what he wanted.

"We're all going to die anyway," Ray added.

"That has always been true. Even before."

"Yeah, but back then we weren't wondering if it'd be of cold or starvation."

"Ray, please..." Fraser reached out, and Ray let him. He was so tired.

"What would you have us do?" Fraser said.

"I don't know," Ray said into Fraser's neck.

"We're not dead yet," Fraser whispered, and hugged him tight. Ray lifted heavy arms and hugged him back.

"You're cold. Let me warm you up," Fraser said, and tugged him down on the bed.


End file.
